LSU Women Win Big Without Injured Aneesah Morrow, 79-63 over Georgia
GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
No. 7 LSU was without star senior forward Aneesah Morrow because of a foot injury, but the Tigers still stepped all over Georgia for a 79-63 win at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Thursday night.
A pair of forwards each averaging just 5 points a game – Jersey Wolfenbarger and Sa’Myah Smith – scored 16 points and 11, respectively, and each grabbed 12 rebounds. Wolfenbarger had been averaging just 3.9 rebounds a game in 14 minutes a game, while Smith was getting 5.6 in 18 minutes an outing. Wolfenbarger played 25 on this night with Smith logging 33.
“Knowing that Nees was out, there’s a lot of us that need to step up and contribute in ways we haven’t before,” Wolfenbarger said. “That motivated my performance.”
LSU (26-2, 11-2 SEC) expects to have Morrow back for Sunday’s showdown at No. 14 Kentucky (21-4, 10-3 SEC). They will likely need her 18.1 points-per-game average and 14.4 rebounds a game. Morrow got stepped on in the Tigers’ 65-58 loss at No. 3 Texas on Sunday.
“Nees has no structural damage,” Mulkey said after the Georgia game. “No ligaments, no broken bones. She got stepped on. It’s just sore. And what better time to rest than tonight with the last three as tough as nails?”
Georgia fell to 10-17 and 2-11 in the SEC.
After Kentucky, LSU plays at Alabama (21-6, 8-5) next Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN or SEC Network). The Tide lost at Tennessee, 88-80, on Thursday. Then the Tigers close the regular season against Ole Miss (17-8, 8-5) the following Sunday (3 p.m., SEC Network).
“Could she have played? Sure,” Mulkey said. “If it was, (a higher quality opponent) but you know. For Nees to do what she’s got to do, not in just these next three games, but then the SEC Tournament. Just rest it. Let the bruise get better.”
Guard Flau’Jae Johnson led LSU with 21 points and added three steals and two assists. Guard Kailyn Gilbert added 15 points.
Trinity Turner led Georgia with 28 points.
